SYLACAUGA IN 1887

 

In the early spring of 1887, the 316 hardy Americans who made up the little community nestled in the peaceful valley surrounding The Coosa, decided their "Town" had reached the point where it should be incorporated and accordingly did so on February 15, of that year, under the name of Sylacauga.

The business district of the Sylacauga of that day was a hand full of stores, scattered up and down the main street - which was thick with dust in summer and deep in mud in winter and down which labored a lumbering wagon or passed an occasional traveler on horseback bound for the capital city of Montgomery.

From this humble beginning Sylacauga grew in a short 57 years to a thriving little American city, with a five mile radius population of nearly 20,000.

In tribute to the memory of these founders of this community it is with pleasure that we inscribe their names and their occupations upon the pages of the minute book of the Sylacauga Chamber of Commerce.

 

E. M. Douglas, Mayor                     Ellis Hickman, Clerk

J. M. Lanning, Clerk                         B. C. Hickman, Hackman, or Taxi

B. D. French, Merchant                   J. T. Boone, Hackman or Taxi                                                                  

J. J. Hightower, Sr., Postmaster       J. M. Knight, Sawmilling                                                    

J. L. Wilkes,                                      T. V. Knight, Sawmilling

Wash Wilkes, Minister                    J. W. Knight, Brick Layer

D. C. Keller, Physician                     M. E. Knight, Sawmilling

W. C. Keller, Physician                    G. A. Hill, Physician and Farmer

W. M. Sorrell, Physician                  G. S. Ham, Farmer

M. E. Conaway, Physician                T. E. Morris, Farmer

J. M. Smith, Physician                      William Nivens, Farmer

J. E. Pearson, (1888), Physician        Bill Brannon, Fiddler

F. H. Craddock, Physician                 H. M. Hubbard,Merchant

G. W. Sorrell, Dentist                         H. C. Zuber, Coaling

J. W. Langley, Jeweler                       Ben McNeely, Farmer

W. P. Caudle, Minister                       J. D. Strauther, Farmer

T. P. Roberts, Minister                      Pat Bazemore, Mechanic

A. Hall, Lawyer                                   Jim Wallace, Lumber Planer

J. H. Caudle, Livery                            J. A. Wallace, Farmer

R. M. Conville, Blacksmith                E. (Eli) Horn, School Teacher

J. E. Caudle, Blacksmith                     T. A. Henderson, Teacher

B. E. Blackmon, Wagon Maker          M. L. Smith, Merchant

T. B. Ogletree, Drayer                         E. J. Smith, Merchant

W. M. Lane, Coaling                            W. F. Smith, Merchant

R. T. Hebson, Coaling                          E. S. Smith Merchant

W. J. Cannon, Merchant                      W. T. Coker, City Farm Demonstration

W. C. Cannon, Teacher                         M. P. Coker, Physician

George W. Wheeler, Clerk                  D. A. Parker, R. R. Agent

George W. Heacock, Railroader          G. A. Conville, Mechanic

W. C. Crow, Farmer                             John Piney Oden, Farmer and Mill

W. D. Abston, Hotel                             W. P. Oden, Lawyer

J. M. Bazemore, Merchant                 S. J. Oden, Agent

A. C. Harper, Clerk                             W. S. Mallory, Merchant

J. D. Pennington, Mechanic                 Baldwin M. Fluker, Farmer

Frank C. Hickman, Mechanic              L. M. Burgess, Farmer

B. M. Harris, Mechanic                       J. W. Brown, Banker, Merchant

T. H. Harris, Mechanic                         R. L. Edwards, Druggist

B. J. Hammett, Mechanic                     R. D. Edwards, Mineral Worker

W. C. Trammell, Saw Mill                    T. W. Edwards, Clerk

T. P.  Phillips, Merchant                        T. M. McDowell, Sawmilling

J. T. Thompson, Barber                         L. S. Phillips, Merchant

W. E. Dunsmore, Mechanic                  T. P. Johnston, Clerk

Charlie Caudle, Blacksmith                   J. T. Persons, Brick Layer

John Hunter, First Eng. On A & A R.R.    L. H. Crumpler, Justice of the                                                                       Peace

H. G. Darby, Farmer                                 L. King, Sawmilling

John (Jack) Herd, Marble Maker           Jack King, Coaling

David Herd, Marble Maker                     M. H. Jackson, Druggist

Frank Sherrell, Farmer                            C. B. Porter, 3rd Marshall

L. W. Sherrell, Farmer                             J. P. Creel, Farmer

Pat Pheney, Contractor                            R. B. Caudle, Farmer

George Yeaman, Farmer                          J. A. Edwards, Dairy Farmer

Sam Scott, 2nd Marshall                          W. H. Malone, Farmer

J. M. Gillespie, 2nd Marshall                   R. W. Prather,   Farmer                                           
Dr. A. B. Lovejoy, Capitalist                    T. P. Hickman, Farmer

F. B. Fulmer, Merchant                              L. L. Terry, Farmer

J. M. Rainey, Hardware Merchant          C. C. Douglas, Clerk

M. M. Bailey, Merchant                            R. B. Pruett, Owned Hotel &                                                                      Merchant

J. E. Berkstresser, Insurance                    L. T. Parnell, Blacksmith

 

 

Colored People In Sylacauga At That Time

Rube Lindsey                  Hall Yeoman

Dan Oden                        Pop Martin

Beverly Darby                Simon Morris

Shack Fluker                   George Oden

John Oden                       Tom Lindsey

Tom Oden                        Tom Fluker

Simon Oden

This copy was typed from the Carolyn Lane Luttrell Collection, housed in B. B. Comer Memorial Library.

Mrs. Luttrell said that this list is incomplete and partially correct.  (BRL)

 

Archived Sylacauga History Facts:
Rising Star Baptist Church
The Barnes-Prather House
Mignon Baptist Church
Marble City Cemetery
First Presbyterian Church
Rozelle Service Station
Comet Drive
Dr.  Adair K. Whetstone
Sylacauga High School Football Program
Sylacauga Christmas
Sylacauga First Baptist Church
Sam Martin Ex Slave
Local History About World War II
Marble City Land & Furnace Company
Dave Goldberg
The Sylacauga Chamber of Commerce
State Secondary Agricultural School
Ira A. Watson Company
Fes Simpkins
Womens Prayer Group
Gantts Guarry Post Office

 

 

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